Flushing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A flushing apparatus particularly for plumbing fixtures embodies only one main moving part which is adapted alternately to receive water and serve as a weight for closing the main flush valve and to discharge said water and in so doing to become a float for opening the flush valve. The main flush valve is essentially self-cleaning and non-corrosive. The entire apparatus is characterized by simplicity, economy of construction, silent operation and reliability. Maintenance requirements are minimized and the apparatus is adaptable to new or old fixtures.

United States Patent Braswell FLUSHING APPARATUS Inventor: James W. Braswell, 218 Hooker Rd., Wilmington, N.C. 28401 Filed: May 24, 1971 Appl. No.: 146,159

US. Cl. ..4/58, 4/41 ,4/56 Int. Cl. ..E03d 1/34 Field of Search ..4/33, 37, M, 56, 58, 60

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Walker ..4/33

Primary ExaminerCarroll B. Dority, Jr. Attorney-B. P. Fisbume, Jr.

ABSTRACT A'flushing apparatus particularly for plumbing fixtures embodies only one main moving part which is adapted alternately to receive water and serve as a weight for closing the main flush valve and to discharge said water and in so doing to become a float for opening the flush valve. The main flush valve is essentially selfcleaning and non-corrosive. The entire apparatus is characterized by simplicity, economy of construction,

silent operation and reliability. Maintenance requirements are minimized and the apparatus is adaptable to new or old fixtures.

19 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PA'IENTEUnEc 12 I972 HGI ll ll ATTORNEY FLUSI-IING APPARATUS The prior art contains numerous and varied teachings relating to flushing mechanisms for plumbing fixtures. Notwithstanding this variety of prior art proposals, there has been very little departure in the prior art from the classic flush tank which embodies the well known float-controlledwater inlet valve and the ball-type outlet or flushing valve which is lifted from its seat by a rather crude'manual linkage terminating in a level-positioned on the outside of the tank. When the flush valve is seated, it floats or bobs to the surface of the receding water in the tank and then closes by gravity when the tank is substantially empty. Conventional means are provided in the form of overflow pipes and branch tubes from the water inlet valve to re-establish the required trap seal in the fixture. While the conventional mechanism is inexpensive, it is not extremely reliable in operation and is subject to frequent binding and corrosive deterioration and requires a great deal of maintenance and frequent replacement with muchinconvenience. Nevertheless, this somewhat crude and aw'kwardflushing mechanism continues to'be widely used apparently due to the impracticality, excessive cost, and sometimes complications inherent in the many improvement proposals contained in the patented art. I I With the above in mind, the present flushing apparatus has been devised with the object of replacing the classic and conventional mechanism with a means which is not more costly to manufacture and install and which is much more reliable and efficient in operation than the conventional mechanism. Additionally, the apparatus of the invention is very quiet in operation I and involves a minimum number of parts with essentially only a single main moving part. Because of this, wear in the apparatus is'virtually non-existent. The single main moving part has the unique ability to alternately serve as a weight to maintain the main flush valve closed and then as'a float for opening the flush valve under manual control or automatically. Conversion of the main moving part from weight to float is accomplished through the operation of a simple device which empties a small mass of water from a weight chamber on the moving part so that such chamber becomes a float chamber. An easily replaceable resilient self-cleaning and reliably sealing valve element is provided on the moving part for covering and uncovering the main flushing outlet from the tank. Simplified means are provided to guide the movement of the main moving part, to limit such movement, and to retard or cushion the movement in a manner which will provide the most efficient operation. The few parts involved in the apparatus can be made corrosion-resistant throughout for long life. Since practically all of the flushing water will be discharged from the tank 'during the flushing cycle, the bottom of the tank will be cleansed of sediments and a slightly smaller tank than conventional may be employed. Very light fingertip control is required to start the flushing cycle and automatic flushing is obtainable if desired. The apparatus possesses many other unique and advantageous features which will become apparent during the course of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a general side elevation, partly in section, of a toilet flush tankequipped with the improved flushing apparatus constituting the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged central vertical longitudinal section through the main body-portion of the flushing apparatus, with parts broken away, and showing the flush valve closed.

FIG. 3 is a similar sectional view of the apparatus with the flush valve raised from its seat to cause flushing of the fixture. I

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in detail where like numerals designate like parts throughout, the numeral 10 designates a plumbing fixture flush tank havinga flat bottom wall 11 containing a centrally located opening 12 forming the outlet passage for water being delivered to the fixture, not shown, to flush the same. The opening 12 receives a fitting or lining 13 formed of hard neoprene or some similar smooth surfaced non-corrosive material and thisfitting may be joined to a pipe leading to the fixture in any'conventional manner. The fitting 13 has an upper flat plate-like flange 14 preferably integral therewith which surrounds the tubular portion of the outlet fitting and is of sufficient diameter to form a smooth flat seat for a resilient flush valve element, to be described.

Suitably rigidly connected to the fitting l3 and rising therefrom is a spider support 15 terminating in a vertical axis internally threaded boss 16 which is spaced above the tank outlet opening in concentric relation therewith. The threaded boss 16 receives and anchors a screw-threaded portion 17 of a relatively stationary vertical open-ended pipe or tube 18 which extends considerably above the bottom wall of the tank as indicated in FIG. 1. The lower end of the pipe 18 terminates a substantial distance below tI-Ie valve seating flange 14 and well down inside of the tubular fitting 13, as shown. As will be further described, the stationary pipe or tube 18 forms a primary guide element for the one moving part of the flushing apparatus and also serves to admit air to the flushing water being discharged from the tank 10 to enhance the cleaning action of the water in the fixture.

The apparatus additionally comprises a vertical axis enlarged cylindrical open-ended sleeve 19 constitutes the body portion of the single main moving part. As shown, this sleeve body portion is substantially larger in diameter than the pipe 18 and surrounds the latter coaxially. Near its longitudinal center, the sleeve 19 has an internal annular web 20 formed thereon and a reduced diameter relatively short upstanding cylindrical sleeve extension 21 rises from the web 20 to form a narrow annular through passage 22 between the pipe 18 and the bore of the sleeve extension 21. The top of the sleeve extension 21 is spaced well below tI-le top of the open-ended sleeve 19. An annular chamber 23 adapted to receive water from above, for a purpose to be described, is formed by the web 20 and the concentric walls of the sleeve 19 and extension 21.

Formed fixedly on the vertical pipe 18 in surrounding spaced concentric relation to the sleeve extension 21 is a downwardly opening cylinder 24 having a top wall 25 integrally joined to the pipe 18 near and below its upper end. The cylinder 24 has radial ports 26 formed therethrough and the lower end of the cylinder carries an enlarged annular terminal 27 which substantially spans the width of the annular chamber 23 but with some clearance provided between the enlargement 27 and the walls of sleeve elements 19 and 21. While the precise cross-sectional shape of the enlargement 27 may vary, its 'lower face is generally flat, as shown. This element 27 serves several important functions, including the guidance of the sleeve 19 during its vertical movement and in retarding such movement by dashpot action, as will be further described. The element 27 additionally aids in maintaining the flush valve raised or open momentarily as required to properly complete the flushing cycle and the nearly complete emptying of the tank.

The single moving part of the apparatus further comprises on the upper part of the sleeve 19 an integral open top cylindrical cup-like member 28 of considerably greater diameter than the sleeve 19 and having its upper edge spaced somewhat above the top of the sleeve 19, as clearly shown. The bottom wall 29 of the member 28 is joined with the sleeve 19 at a level to produce an annular chamber 30 for water of sufficient volume to impart to the single moving part of the apparatus the required weight and flotation characteristics at the necessary times. The annular chamber 30 extends from the wall 29 to the top of the sleeve 19. It may be noted here that there is a direct overflow path at the top of the sleeve 19 from the annular chamber 30 into the chamber 23 and from this chamber over the top edge of the extension 21 and into the passage 22.

The single moving part or unit of the apparatus further includes at the lower end of the sleeve 19 a resilient annular downwardly flared flush valve element 31 which also tapers in cross-section from its top to its lower edge, which edge is straight and true and perpendicular to the axis of the fitting 13. The upper thick end portion 32 of the resilient valve element may be stretched over an annular concave retainer flange 33 on the bottom end of the sleeve 19, thus rendering replacement of the valve element an easy task when necessary and it is seldom necessary. This is substantially the only part of the apparatus which is subject to gradual wear or deterioration requiring very infrequent replacement. With the passage of time, the element 13 formed of neoprene or the like will tend to lose its life and will need replacement like a windshield wiper blade. As shown in FIG. 2, when the valve element 31 seats upon the flat smooth flange 14 there is a relative wiping action as the annular valve element spreads and becomes larger in diameter. This renders the valve and valve seat self-cleaning.

The means to initiate the flushing cycle are extremely simple and comprise a loop of flexible tubing 34 having its opposite ends connected with nipples 35 provided on the lower portion of sleeve 19 and adjacent the bottom of cup-like member 28. Intermediate its ends, the flexible tubing 34 is attached by a suitable clip 36, FIG. 1, to a lever 37 pivoted to the tank 10 at 38 and preferably having an adjustable counterweight 39 on the opposite side of the pivot for the lever. A manual extension or handle 40 is attached to the pivot element 38 on the exterior of the tank and a very light finger pressure on this handle will serve to lower the top of the tubing 34 sufficiently to discharge water from the chamber 30 when the latter is filled. Normally, the counterweight 39 maintains the top portion of the flexible tubing at a level about the water level 41. It may be noted here that the use of the flexible tubing 34 to initiate the flushing cycle completely eliminates the rather crude and awkward mechanical linkage commonly employed to elevate the flush valve ball in conventional flush tanks. The corrosion problems and the bending and binding of parts in this troublesome linkage are all eliminated and the overall structure is much simpler.

The tank 10 is equipped with any conventional water inlet valve 42 having a depending inlet pipe 43. The usual float 44 shuts off the valve 42 when the desired water lever is reached in the tank. The customary tube 45 for replenishing the trap seal in the fixture extends from the inlet valve 42 to a point above the cup-like member 28 to deliver water to the chamber 30 thereof.

OPERATION With the apparatus assembled as indicated in the drawings and with the tank 10 empty, the moving unit including elements 19, 28 and 31 is in the down position by gravity with the lower edge of resilient valve element 31 forming a water-tight seal with the flat seat 14. The lever 37 and the tubing 34 are now in the up position under influence of the counterbalance weight 39 and the top of the flexible tubing is above the water level in the member 28, 28.

Water from the inlet valve 42 now rises in the flush tank and at this time the tube 45 fills the chamber 30 until the water therein overflows the top edge of sleeve 19 and then fills the chamber 23 and overflows the top edge of sleeve extension 21. Such water enters the passage 22 and gravitates into the fixture below to remake the customary trap seal.

As water rises in the tank 10, increasing pressure is exerted on the valve element or seal 31 forcing it into tighter engagement with the seat 14. This function is aided by the weight of the water which has now filled the annular chamber 30. Therefore, there is no possibility for the movable unit of the apparatus to rise during the filling of the tank.

When the tank 10 fills to the proper level, the water pressure exerted on the valve element 31 is sufficient to hold the valve element and the sleeve 19 down, FIG. 2. The part 19 being tubular has some buoyancy acting against the water pressure on the element 31, but this buoyancy is not sufficient to break the contact between valve element 31 and seat 14. The cup member 28 being filled with water has negligible buoyancy when the tank 10 is full.

To initiate the flushing cycle when the tank is full, light fingertip pressure on the handle 40 will lower the tubing 34 below the level 41 and when this occurs the water in chamber 30 discharges through the flexible tubing and into the interior of sleeve 19 at the lower nipple 35. The chamber 30 now being emptied of water causes the cup-like member 28 to be transformed into an efficient float with sufficient buoyancy to elevate sleeve 19 and break the seal between elements 31 and 14. When this occurs, the water in the tank is emptied through the bore of fitting 13 to flush the fixture below.

bottom of the tank.

As the single movable unit including sleeve 19 rises, the action of the annular enlargement 28 in the waterfilled chamber23 causes a cushioning or retarding effect on the upward movement in the manner of a dashpot, such upward movement being finally limited by contact of the horizontal web 20 with the bottom of the the vacuum produced by contact of elements 20 and 27 and the dashpot effect of the water which remains in the chamber 23. This delay in the falling of the vertically movable unit is necessary to allow substantially all water to drain from the tank down to the surface of seat 14. In so doing, the water flushes any sediment from the As the flushing water passes through the tubular fitting 13, the pipe 18 delivers air down into the vortex space caused by the flowing water. This relieves the noise produced by air being drawn into the downwardly moving water. Air is drawn into the water stream through the pipe 18 in a' very quiet manner andgthe foaming action of the air in the flushing water increases its cleaning capability in the fixture.

When the water drains from the tank 10 and makeup wateris introduced into the member 28 by tube 45, the weight of this water in the chamber 30 adds to the weight of the single moving unit sufficiently to separate the elements 20 and 27 and to cause the valve element or seal 31 to fall back into contact with the seat 14. As contact is established, the element 31 expands radially with sliding action-to clean the surfaceof the valve seat 14. The tank 10 refills and as this takes place, water from the tube 45 fills the compartment 30 to overflowing at the top edge of sleeve 19 and then fills the chamber 23 to overflowing in the passage 22 and thus re-establishes the water seal in the fixture. When the tank water level rises to a predetermined point established by the float 44, the apparatus is ready for another flushing cycle.

The cup-like member 28 is of such proportions that should the water level rise in the tank sufficiently above the level shown, the increased buoyancy of the member 28 would cause automatic flushing by elevating the single movable unit. Automatic flushing can be accomplished by regulating the incoming water through a needle valve or the like, the valve being set to allow the tank to fill to a desired level at timed intervals as required for a particular application. This would eliminate the parts 35, 34, 36, 17, 38, 39 and 40 and the conventional ball float valve 44-42. The upper end of sleeve 19 would be lowered t the bottom wall of cup-like member 28, and parts 24 and 20 would be correspondingly lowered for the automatic'flushing mode.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to within the scope of the invention and subjoined claims. For example, the bottom of the cup-like member 28 may be smoothly rounded to eliminate corners and the bottom of the annular chamber 23 may be rounded instead of square, as shown. Other parts may be streamlined in a similar manner but the principle of member within said tank extending above the discharge opening, a vertically movable unit engaging telescopically with said fixed upstanding member, said unit comprising a tubular body portion having a cup-like enlargement thereon near its upper end and defining therewith a chamber for. ballast water to weight said unit, a seal element on the lower end of said body portion engaging said seat when said unit is lowered and covering said discharge opening, interengaging means on the body portion and upstanding member limiting upward movement of said unit and guiding the unit and retarding movement. of the unit upwardly and downwardly, a flexible tubing loop having ends connected with said cup-like enlargement and said body portion below the interengaging means, and manually operable means to normally hold the top of the tubing loop above the level of water in said enlargement and operable tolower the loop to a level where water will flow from the enlargement into the portion to start a flushing cycle, the discharging of water from the cuplike enlargement increasing the buoyancy of said movable unit and causing floatation thereof with said seal element to uncover said discharge opening.

i 2. The structure of claim 1, and said means forming a valve seat comprising a substantially flat plate member surrounding said discharge opening.

' 3. The structure of claim 2, and said plate member formed of non-corrosive material and having a depending tubular extension lining the bore of said discharge opening.

4. The structure of claim 1, and said fixed upstanding member comprising an open-ended tube having a lower end projecting below said valve seat and 1 into said discharge opening. 1

5. The structure of claim 4, and a spider member supporting said tube and being anchored to said tank.

6. The structure of claim 1, and the top of said tubular body portion terminating below the top of said cuplike enlargement to allow overflowing of water from the enlargement into the top of said body portion.

7. The structure of claim 6, and said interengaging means comprising telescopically interfitting parts on said body portion and said fixed upstanding member.

8. The structure of claim 7, and the interfitting part on said body portion comprising an upstanding internal sleeve extension on the body portion connected with the body portion by a bottom wall to form a chamber between the body portion and sleeve extension, said chamber receiving overflow water from said cup-like enlargement.

9. The structure of claim 8, and the interfitting part on said upstanding member comprising a downwardly opening cylinder engaging telescopically between the wall of the body portion and the upstanding sleeve extension, and an annular enlargement on the lower ends of said cylinder having relatively close fitting engagement in the chamber between the body portion and sleeve extension.

10. The structure of claim 1, and said seal element comprising an annular resilient seal detachably mounted on said body portion and projecting therebelow.

11. The structure of claim 10, and said seal flaring toward its lower end and tapering in cross-section downwardly to a thin straight edge normal to the axis of the discharge opening.

12. The structure of claim 1, and a pair of attachment nipples for the tubing loop on said movable unit, the uppermost nipple located adjacent the bottom of the cup-like enlargement, there being an annular chamber formed between the upper end portion of the tubular body portion and the side wall of said enlargement.

13. The structure of claim 1, and said manually operable means comprising a lever pivoted to said tank and connected with the tubing loop on one side of the lever pivot, and a lever counterweight on the other side of said pivot, whereby only a slight pressure on the lever is required to lower the tubing loop from its normal elevated position.

14. The structure of claim 1, and water inlet valve means on said tank to fill the tank and to supply makeup water to said cup-like enlargement to weight the movable unit and to establish a water seal in the trap of a fixture with which the flushing apparatus is con- 8. nected.

15. A flushing apparatus for fixtures comprising a fixed substantially vertical guide member, a vertically movable unit on the guide member including a lower end seal, said unit having a ballast chamber for water to weight the unit for downward movement so that said seal may engage a fixed seat, and movable discharge control means for water in said ballast chamber enabling the chamber to be emptied, whereby said chamber is converted to a float chamber causing said unit to rise for unseating said seal.

16. The structure of claim 15, and said ballast chamber being in the form of an upwardly facing cuplike enlargement on the top of said movable unit.

17. The structure of claim 16, and said movable discharge control means comprises a loop of flexible tubing interconnecting said ballast chamber with a lower section of said unit.

18. The structure of claim 15, and said lower end seal comprising an annular resilient downwardly flaring seal.

19. The structure of claim 15, and interengaging means on said guide member and unit adapted to retard upward and downward movement of the unit and to positively limit upward movement of the unit and to momentarily maintain said unit elevated. 

1. A flushing apparatus comprising a tank having a bottom discharge opening, means forming a valve seat adjacent said discharge opening, a fixed upstanding member within said tank extending above the discharge opening, a vertically movable unit engaging telescopically with said fixed upstanding member, said unit comprising a tubular body portion having a cup-like enlargement thereon near its upper end and defining therewith a chamber for ballast water to weight said unit, a seal element on the lower end of said body portion engaging said seat when said unit is lowered and covering said discharge opening, interengaging means on the body portion and upstanding member limiting upward movement of said unit and guiding the unit and retarding movement of the unit upwardly and downwardly, a flexible tubing loop having ends connected with said cup-like enlargement and said body portion below the interengaging means, and manually operable means to normally hold the top of the tubing loop above the level of water in said enlargement and operable to lower the loop to a level where water will flow from the enlargement into the portion to start a flushing cycle, the discharging of water from the cup-like enlargement increasing the buoyancy of said movable unit and causing floatation thereof with said seal element to uncover said discharge opening.
 2. The structure of claim 1, and said means forming a valve seat comprising a substantially flat plate member surrounding said discharge opening.
 3. The structure of claim 2, and said plate member formed of non-corrosive material and having a depending tubular extension lining the bore of said discharge opening.
 4. The structure of claim 1, and said fixed upstanding member comprising an open-ended tube having a lower end projecting below said valve seat and into said discharge opening.
 5. The structure of claim 4, and a spider member supporting said tube and being anchored to said tank.
 6. The structure of claim 1, and the top of said tubular body portion terminating below the top of said cup-like enlargement to allow overflowing of water from the enlargement into the top of said body portion.
 7. The structure of claim 6, and said interengaging means comprising telescopically interfitting parts on sAid body portion and said fixed upstanding member.
 8. The structure of claim 7, and the interfitting part on said body portion comprising an upstanding internal sleeve extension on the body portion connected with the body portion by a bottom wall to form a chamber between the body portion and sleeve extension, said chamber receiving overflow water from said cup-like enlargement.
 9. The structure of claim 8, and the interfitting part on said upstanding member comprising a downwardly opening cylinder engaging telescopically between the wall of the body portion and the upstanding sleeve extension, and an annular enlargement on the lower ends of said cylinder having relatively close fitting engagement in the chamber between the body portion and sleeve extension.
 10. The structure of claim 1, and said seal element comprising an annular resilient seal detachably mounted on said body portion and projecting therebelow.
 11. The structure of claim 10, and said seal flaring toward its lower end and tapering in cross-section downwardly to a thin straight edge normal to the axis of the discharge opening.
 12. The structure of claim 1, and a pair of attachment nipples for the tubing loop on said movable unit, the uppermost nipple located adjacent the bottom of the cup-like enlargement, there being an annular chamber formed between the upper end portion of the tubular body portion and the side wall of said enlargement.
 13. The structure of claim 1, and said manually operable means comprising a lever pivoted to said tank and connected with the tubing loop on one side of the lever pivot, and a lever counterweight on the other side of said pivot, whereby only a slight pressure on the lever is required to lower the tubing loop from its normal elevated position.
 14. The structure of claim 1, and water inlet valve means on said tank to fill the tank and to supply make-up water to said cup-like enlargement to weight the movable unit and to establish a water seal in the trap of a fixture with which the flushing apparatus is connected.
 15. A flushing apparatus for fixtures comprising a fixed substantially vertical guide member, a vertically movable unit on the guide member including a lower end seal, said unit having a ballast chamber for water to weight the unit for downward movement so that said seal may engage a fixed seat, and movable discharge control means for water in said ballast chamber enabling the chamber to be emptied, whereby said chamber is converted to a float chamber causing said unit to rise for unseating said seal.
 16. The structure of claim 15, and said ballast chamber being in the form of an upwardly facing cup-like enlargement on the top of said movable unit.
 17. The structure of claim 16, and said movable discharge control means comprises a loop of flexible tubing interconnecting said ballast chamber with a lower section of said unit.
 18. The structure of claim 15, and said lower end seal comprising an annular resilient downwardly flaring seal.
 19. The structure of claim 15, and interengaging means on said guide member and unit adapted to retard upward and downward movement of the unit and to positively limit upward movement of the unit and to momentarily maintain said unit elevated. 